1. The empire is laid bare in all its contradictory complexity.
lay bare 使显露出来;揭露
No one wants to expose themselves, lay their feelings bare.
没有人想自我剖白,将自己的情感公之于众
。2. As for knocking over more statues, he concludes that rather than trying to obliterate imperial history, which will always infuriate as many people as it pleases, Britain should commemorate more of the colonised people who challenged and reformed the empire, or indeed died for it on the battlefield.
knock over 撞倒
The racoons knock over the rubbish bins in search of food, and strew the contents all over the ground
浣熊弄翻垃圾箱找吃的,把垃圾弄得满地都是
。